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Basic computer education eludes government schools in Raipur
It is ironical when the PM’s ‘Digital India’ campaign is gathering steam, around 13 schools of Raipur Municipal Corporation (RMC) are deprived of even the most basic computer education. Lack of budget and administrative and political apathy are being blamed.
India ranks second in the world in terms of internet penetration at approximately 35% of the population. Needless to say we need to get more and more people connected for India to reap the benefits of the digital revolution. Even as India is working hard on Prime Minister’s ‘Digital India’ campaign, around 5,500 children studying in the 13 schools of Raipur Municipal Corporation (RMC) are deprived of even the most basic computer education.
Computers still confound scores of children from the under-served section of the society at RMC schools. Lack of budget coupled with administrative and political apathy has resulted in RMC schools in lagging far behind not only private schools but also the Government schools.
In these times, not knowing computers simply means that the academic certificates are toothless and are simply not capable to get a student a respectable job, but this doesn’t seem to concerns RMC.
Raipur Municipal Corporation (RMC) Commissioner Dr Saransh Mittar, said that there is no budget to purchase computers for schools. However, RMC will act in accordance to the guidance and instruction of the State Government.
It’s worth pondering, why the state government is choking RMC run schools. RMC Commissioner’s reply indicates a serious problem lurking behind the scene. RMC Education Department member in-charge, Goverdhan Sharma talked about a bigger conspiracy being played out by the Government to merge the RMC run schools with the State Government’s Education Department.
According to a frustrated Sharma, the state government wants to merge RMC schools, but it doesn’t want to merge the RMC teaching staff. “How can they pay the salaries of corporation’s teachers, when their own Shikshakarmis are most of the time seen staging sit-in at Budhatalab than teaching in schools to demand salary?
He sees 2 major reasons behind the State Government eagerness for this merger as he told officials and political leaders want their relatives and acquaintances.